


Practice Makes Perfect

by baekjuhos



Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Huru - Freeform, Huru has a cameo, Jaeyoon likes to cook but that doesnt mean he's good at it, Juho likes numbers just like he likes cooking - a lot, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25842379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekjuhos/pseuds/baekjuhos
Summary: Jaeyoon likes to cook, although it doesn't mean he's good at it. Some people just don't belong into the kitchen.
Relationships: Baek Juho | Zuho/Lee Jaeyoon
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15
Collections: Round One: Ringing In The Fanfare





	Practice Makes Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!  
> This is my (pretty awful) contribution to the fic fest. 
> 
> Enjoy!!

It was a pretty cold day for June. Jaeyoon had been deceived by the warm looking sun as the bright rays shined through his bedroom window in the morning. He had been getting ready for work as he listened to the birds sing and wind rustle gently. 

His job mainly consisted of being locked in a room in the basement surrounded by the finest and highest technology. Since the basement had no windows, he absorbed anything he could before his shift started and after it ended. Sometimes, Jaeyoon would get so lonely downstairs that he would talk to his pcr machine while waiting for the chime. 

More than once, his boss walked in on him talking to his printer. No one questioned Jaeyoon anymore. One of his co-workers had to fill in for Jaeyoon when he had been knocked out with the flu and he had never received so much love and praise at once the second he had stepped back into the building. “How do you not go insane down there? It’s so white and so- so-” 

“So suffocating? As if the ceiling is about to eat you up any minute? So lonely?” Jaeyoon offered the distraught male. He only breathed out a “Yeah, exactly.” 

“Oh come on, Sergeant. It’s not the right time to be mad.” Jaeyoon poked his printer. He wanted to bring up the results of whatever fluid he had been brought. “I really need to bring this up, so I can go and have lunch.” 

“That stupid thing won’t ever work whenever you need it to, Jaeyoon. Accept it.” Inseong walked up to him, patting his shoulder. Jaeyoon clasped his hands around the printer, as if he was holding someone’s ears shut. “Don’t say that! Don’t listen to him Sarge, you’re reliable. You’re the best printer in the world” Jaeyoon let out while stroking it and as if it had only waited to hear these words, the machine started to surr quietly. “And you, Inseong. Stop hurting my children’s feelings! For someone as smart as you that shouldn’t be a problem, right?” 

Jaeyoon crossed his arms with a pout and an attempted glare. “Whatever, Jaeyoon...Just bring the papers up so we can have lunch. Everyone’s waiting for you.” His friend patted his shoulder before he reached out for the freshly printed results. Jaeyoon lightly slapped his hand away and instead, gently picked them up. His eyes scanned over the papers in a rapid pace.

“Oh no, this is bad. This is super bad.” He let out, his dark orbs widened comically. “We gotta show this Binnie.” He didn’t listen to Inseong asking him what he was talking about. Jaeyoon took off, pressing the elevator's button. He impatiently tapped his foot. “This won’t do. It’s too slow.” With that, he ran up the stairs, leaving a completely confused Detective behind. 

He had a breakthrough and he needed to show the leading Detective before he went to take his well deserved break.

Jaeyoon looked forward to his lunch every day. Juho, his room mate, happened to be a good cook. No, scratch that. Juho was an incredible chef, especially if one knew he was working as a classical physicist, who was taking classes for quantum physics while working at one of the most prestigious universities in the city - in the country. 

He always cooked for the two of them and packed the leftover dinner for Jaeyoon's lunch. The lab technician really was glad he had found the younger because he was sure he would've starved to death had it not been for his god sent roommate. 

Jaeyoon knew how some of his co-workers were envious of his meal, every day. The way they leaned slightly in to see what he had brought this time or the way they eyed his food with a hungry gaze- he knew very well that they wanted him to share. But Jaeyoon didn't, he wouldn't let anyone savour the heavenly taste of whatever Juho created. 

Each bite felt like a firework made of the finest flavours, exploding in his mouth and sending Jaeyoon's taste buds into an outer world experience. 

He was damned if he was to waste any of the art Juho packed him every day. 

“No, sorry. This is exclusively made for me, and only me.” Jaeyoon had said once as he protectively leaned over his food and ever since then, his co-workers had stopped asking him to share. 

Jaeyoon would often try to help with at least cutting some ingredients but Juho had banned him from the kitchen after he had managed to cut his finger with a potato peeler. 

Jaeyoon was an absolute disaster when it came to cooking- or baking. But he loved eating- not as much as he loved Juho- to the point he wanted to put himself and anyone in a radius of about ten kilometers into danger. Also, he wanted to revanche himself for all the delicious meals Juho had created for him. 

That’s when the smart male was struck by a terrible idea: he would surprise Juho with breakfast. Yes, Jaeyoon didn't forget the last time he was dead on set to cook something. It had ended with a massive fire run, their entire building evacuated, a nearly completely burned down kitchen and beyond angry neighbours. The cherry on top probably was when Juho just stared at the leaking flames in disbelief. 

“Jaeyoon, you were just making eggs. Weren’t you?” Jaeyoon would’ve laughed at how Juho had slowly turned his head towards the older. He probably would’ve laughed at how the utterly confused expression on Juho’s face turned into one of shock- if they hadn’t basically lost their home for the time being. "Yeah. I just made some eggs." Jaeyoon had shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know what he did wrong, all he had to do was heat up some butter and crack the eggs in. And before he even had time to register it, a flame had shot up, pulling everything in close proximity into its dancing flames and expanding in a matter of seconds. 

Jaeyoon skillfully ignored the promise he had given Juho. He had to give his word that he would never, and Juho meant never, use the kitchen other than to get something to drink. 

So Jaeyoon cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders before he gathered everything he needed. He was sure he had gained some skill by just watching Juho. 

Juho was in a blissful state when the high pitched alarm rang through their tiny apartment. The sound combined with a fragrance, which brought him memories of flames licking up the facade of their apartment, made Juho shoot up. Instead of going on with his morning routine, Juho just made his way straight towards the kitchen. The closer he got, the more intense the burnt smell of something got. At this point, he couldn’t make out what was burnt. The penetrating sound of the smoke detector pierced his ears. The sight he walked in to was horrifying. Jaeyoon was trying to turn off the smoke detector with a broomstick while there was dark smoke coming out of one of the pans on the stove. The counter was covered with the peeled skin of tomatoes and potatoes. Juho couldn’t take a step without having his feet covered with butter. 

  
Their beautiful new kitchen looked like a tornado had made havoc of it. “Jaeyoon!” Upon hearing his name being yelled out in shock, said male turned his head to Juho. “What are you  _ doing _ ? Did you forget your promise?” 

Jaeyoon just smiled at Juho. “No, of course not. I just wanted to, you know, make it up to you.” His smile only grew, baring his dimples. Juho did his best not to fall for the show- he was  _ angry _ . 

Juho waved his hand in an attempt to lessen the smoke around him. He coughed a few times until he turned the stove off. “Jaeyoon, that’s really nice of you but-” Juho turned around, ready to lecture Jaeyoon about how he shouldn’t have even tried to think of cooking. The sheepish smile and apologetic eyes Jaeyoon threw at him, though, made him swallow all of his fury down and Juho found himself offering the older cooking lessons. “So you won’t burn the house down, again, when you’re hungry and I’m not home.” It had earned him an excited smile. 

“You will clean it all up, though.” Juho had said, giving Jaeyoon no chance to reply as he walked straight back to his room. Jaeyoon just smiled before he went ahead to wash the utensils he had used. He had underestimated how hot the pan was and had grabbed it with his bare hand, burning it and letting out an effective “Ouch, god damn it.” 

He heard Juho sigh and jog down the hallway back to the kitchen. “I burned my hand.” Jaeyoon stated, holding said hurting hand up for Juho to see. “You’re a walking disaster, Jaeyoon.” The younger murmured before taking a hold of his wrist and leading it under the cold water. 

That’s how one day the two had ended up, late in a Sunday afternoon in their kitchen- Jaeyoon once again thinking he had succeeded in getting the dough for the bread right and Juho close to desperation. “Jaeyoon, no! You’re supposed to sieve the flour, not just dump it in.” 

Jaeyoon was confused. “Jju, why though! That takes too long. If you dump it in-” Jaeyoon took the cup out of Juho’s hand, emptying the flour into their bowl “-like this, and turn on the mixer-” he demonstratively turned on the mixer on its highest volume, making the flour fly everywhere- mainly into Juho’s face and hair- “then it’s faster and has the same effect. See!” Jaeyoon, again, smiled proudly. Juho pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to not explode. He did think he was a patient person but Jaeyoon was testing him right now. 

“No, Jaeyoon!” He pulled the plug of the mixer, stopping the surring of the machine effectively. “That’s not- Just- No.” Juho held his hand out, waiting for Jaeyoon to give him the electronic helper. Jaeyoon felt how annoyed Juho was getting, so he handed him what he wanted without any kind of protest yet he couldn’t help the “Why not?” escaping his mouth. The words he was going to let out were stuck in his throat when he felt sharp claws dig into his legs through the fabric he was wearing. Juho was now busy with trying to keep his cat, Huru, away from the counter that was covered in flour. The second Juho tried to pick him up, though, Huru had struck his paw out and hit him square in the face while he let out a loud meow. Clearly, he didn’t like the thought of his father keeping him away from all the fun. “Ah, Huru! That hurt.” Juho exclaimed as he instantly let go of the cat, who dashed towards the bowl with the leftover flour. Jaeyoon just knew what was going to happen next and, indeed, Huru jumped into the bowl with the leftover ingredients, causing yet another small cloud of flour flying around before Jaeyoon heard an overly stressed Juho let out an exasperated, silent scream. Huru was rolling around in the bowl until he curled up, keeping eye contact with Juho the whole time as if he was trying to tell the human that no one, absolutely no one, could tell him what he could and couldn’t do. Jaeyoon swore he saw the cat grin at Juho’s distressed expression.

Juho just supported himself on the counter, his knuckles turning completely white by the sheer amount of force he put into them just to not explode. Jaeyoon just watched him with worry, especially when the young physicist started to laugh while shaking his head. 

It was supposed to be a one time thing, at least that’s what Jaeyoon had hoped. Instead, Juho had pulled him into the kitchen every two days. He had given up on the idea of teaching the older something as hard as bread, he resorted to something simple like stir fried vegetables or pancakes. 

“Jaeyoon what are you doing!” Juho let out exasperated. Jaeyoon had turned the stove on the highest heat and thrown in way too much butter. 

"..Pancakes?" he said, as if it was obvious. "That's what too much butter, Yoonie. You barely need a third of it." Juho tried to wipe some of the excessive butter away but ended up nearly burning his hand. 

Jaeyoon had swatted his hand away with concerned eyes. "I know how to make pancakes, Jju. Really." 

The young physicist held his hand under the running, cold water as he raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Jaeyoon's exclamation. "Don't look at me like that. I really can make pancakes! Look!" Demonstratively, Jaeyoon lifted up the one he had in the pan. 

He had been right, he knew how to make one. If he hadn't burned it on one side completely. 

"The shape of it is really nice. And it's not too thin." Juho said, making Jaeyoon break out in a gigantic smile. He had figured that Jaeyoon needed to hear some positive things once in a while too. “Just make sure to use quarter of the butter you put in and keep an eye on it, otherwise it will burn.” It was like the older had ignored the last part as he just continued making the pancakes just like a minute ago. 

They actually didn’t taste all too horrible, Juho thought. Sure, Jaeyoon had added a little too much sugar for his liking but Jaeyoon had a sweet tooth. 

Their daily cooking lessons had come to a halt with Juho being absent due to work. He had been out of the state for a month now, attending meetings over a project his partner university had hired him for. Jaeyoon had then decided he wanted to try and re-take the task he had given himself: Pay back all the times Juho had cooked for him. 

And that’s how Jaeyoon had ended up in the kitchen for over twelve hours. He re-cooked the soup multiple times as he didn’t like the strong, salty taste. Panic rose when he saw the time. Juho probably was already landing and Jaeyoon barely had finished the meal. 

Juho was tired. He had been in and out of meetings nonstop. The scientists he was supposed to work with turned out to be a hard piece of cake. They seemed to be set on slow his process down and after several days of discussions and fights, actually, Juho got what he wanted. He absolutely despised how entitled they acted and how obnoxious they were. 

Juho had entrusted Taeyang with watching the oldest between them, he didn’t want to come back to another burned down apartment. Looking back, that probably wasn’t his smartest idea. So when Juho stepped back into the apartment complexes hallway and reached their floor, he had already expected the worst. He dared to have a little hope that everything was fine, not smeared in any kind of food or black smoke swallowing their furniture. He was pleasantly surprised when he was greeted with none of what he had feared. Juho dropped his bags onto the ground and followed the delicious smell calling him into the kitchen. Jaeyoon had just set the last glass onto their table and Juho was staring at the set dining table. Not only did the meals smell delicious, no, they looked very inviting too. 

“You’re back earlier than expected!” Jaeyoon let out as he rushed to swallow Juho’s tiny frame in a bone crushing hug. “I missed you so much!” Juho patted the older’s back in sympathy. “Never leave me alone with Taeyang ever again.” Jaeyoon’s voice was tiny. “Please.” He whispered. Whatever happened, it clearly had riled up Jaeyoon more than ever, which was weird in itself considering Jaeyoon was usually playing along with Taeyang’s antics. 

“This looks, and tastes, all so good Jaeyoon. Look how well you can cook.” Juho said as he took another spoon of the hot soup. “I also made your favourite dessert!” He beamed at the physicist, jumping up his chair and giddly carrying a tray with ice cream bowls on it. Juho’s eyes instantly lit up the second they landed on the rainbow sherbet ice cream. 

“You made ice-cream? You made ice-cream here? In out kitchen?” Juho was baffled as he scooped up a bit. He couldn’t help it, his eyes rolled back as he let the cold sweetness flood his taste buds. He let out a sound he didn’t really know he could make. “This is the best ice-cream I’ve ever eaten. Jaeyoon, how long did it take you to make all of these?” 

Juho whispered as he dug his spoon back in. He couldn’t stop the joyous squeal escaping his throat as he took yet another spoonful. 

Jaeyoon had watched Juho enjoy the meals with adoration. The way Juho just dug in without reaching for anything to season made him happy. So when Juho asked him about how much time he invested, he had truthfully replied with “longer than you’d assume.” 

And while Juho was silently continuing to eat his ice-cream, Jaeyoon spoke up again. “Actually, Seokwoo helped me a lot.” It was small but Juho caught it, letting out a hearty laugh. “It’s still tasty. Because you made it too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope it wasn't too bad.  
> My prompt number was 70. 
> 
> This fic is probably one of my shortest hhh.  
> Feedback is always welcome.


End file.
